Christmas Transforms Into a Living Hell for Those with Misophonia.

One young woman anticipates seeing her relatives during the festive period, but admits one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for the main festive feast.

For her, the holidays can be a notably tough time as the noises of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily make her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this wave of sudden panic, my entire being will just freeze and it as though I'm in danger, and I need to somehow control these triggers."

She has experienced misophonia for several years and for her that renders the holiday period "exceptionally stressful".

Misophonia is a decreased threshold to particular auditory triggers, particularly those produced by those around you.

The condition is widespread in the UK. Experts reported almost one in five people are affected by it.

Frequently it's noises linked to eating or drinking that trigger a reaction, including examples such as crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.

'Anxiety Inducing'

The sufferer notes: "There are so many assorted problematic noises at Christmas and that can be stressful and make you fear it.

"Those close to me are understanding, but I'm very conscious that I don't want to upset others. It's like a internal conflict of sacrificing my own sanity to make sure everyone else is happy."

So it's easy to understand why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for those with the condition.

Triggers that may seem harmless, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can cause a strong emotional response that can even result in them withdrawing from gatherings.

Jenna, a young adult, who has dealt with misophonia since aged 10, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to escape problematic noises.

She says her sensitivity is more pronounced around people she's closest to, so Christmas is always "hard".

"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I want to, but it's exhausting on all levels.

"The sensation is this intense irritation comes over me, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and begin to weep and then fight-or-flight will take over.

"To others it appears as if I'm being unreasonable and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."

A Few Techniques to Cope

If you suffer then there are various strategies you can attempt to manage the situation, according to experts.

1. Visualise an Alternative: Mental imagery is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a gentle stream. The goal is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
2. Use Humor: Introduce playfulness and turn the annoying sound into a challenge with the culprit. For example, if someone is eating noisily have a go at joining in. By mimicking, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an active participant. And the challenge should help distract your brain and make you slightly more tolerant.
3. Craft a Story: One more method is to try to fabricate an explanation about the reason someone making the noise is having to make that sound. So if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or are troubled. This approach is re-framing the context of the sound. Although the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it shifts from being annoying, to feeling a little more neutral towards it.